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St Albans Festival 2007
St Alban’s Folk Festival 2007
- from Maureen O'Brien (performer)
Well I arrived with just an hour to spare before stage time - and glory
be, everything had CHANGED!!! arrrgh! panic panic. the biggest decision
was arguing with the drummer as to where we should set up camp - he won!
drummers always win! [he also chose the perfect spot - which just goes
to show that you should never leave such decisions up to the "virgin
campers"]
We arrive in good time for our first gig - only to find that the program's
behind schedule. and then I KNOW everythings going to be just fine - because
while some things had changed, others stayed the same!! and that's ONE
good reason why I love festivals ......it's a great reminder for me to
kick back, go with the flow, and just take it as it comes - because it's
all going to happen in its own time and at its own pace...but it WILL
happen!! This is a world where we step out of time with the daily ratrace
and into that special zone of *no phones *no tv *no clocks *no stress
*all music. aaah bliss! the musicians nirvana.
from the time we step on stage - everything goes smoothly [ha! just kidding!!!]
but one thing that really DID go right was the sound - another fantastic
job by kathy! give that woman a medal [or something equally as stunning
that she can have fun playing with!] I'm playing with a superb lineup
of superb musicians and I am in 7th heaven [which is my excuse for dropping
chords and forgetting lyrics !]
and is it my imagination or has the quality of the performances escalated
to an awesome level this year? wow!! what an excellent serving of professionalism
and such a diversity of entertainment. Top 3 for me [aw go on, you know
you've got your own favourites too!] were Mothers of Intention [they just
keep getting tastier] Mustard Seeds/Amy Moss and Chris Cady
a 5 minute walk back to my camp actually takes some 50 minutes because
every 5 steps I take, I meet another friend [some I haven't seen since
the last festival].
Missed all bar the encore of the Chorus Cup [damn damn damn and boo hoo!]
hope someone got it on video?!?!
Spent 40 minutes roaming around in the dark at 11pm looking for someone
to jam with and cursing the early-to-bedders only to discover next morning
that they hid the jam where I couldn't find it - it was in a rat maze
by the river - and I was damn lucky to get alive, let me tell you. I harked
back to my lonely cot vowing to seize back control tomorrow night! and
get a bigger torch for next year! I'm warning you now Bluesbabies, I'm
coming back in '08 armed with a 1000 volt floodlight [and a trolley to
carry the battery on!]
Being vegetarian, I targetted the [one and only?] vegetarian meal from
Arch - then weighed up the options between a belly of chickpeas vs the
portable loo's on a sunday morning ...and opted for the most delicious
apple pie and icecream I've ever tasted [well at least since I gave up
sugar]
Huge thanks to Alison and the team for their mammoth effort to produce
this festival for another year. I've heard of smokers that would crawl
on naked bended knee over hot tar, shit and broken glass for a fag ...........but
that ain't nothin' compared to what you guys had to go through this year.
Which just goes to prove that folk junkies are the toughest bunch around
- with heart/s and soul/s bigger than texas and softer than cream.
an abundance of blessings on you all
a grateful festival junkie says thanks
maureen o'
St
Alban’s Folk Festival 2007
What
the Performers (& visitors) Said
Hi
Alison,
I took my family to the festival last weekend and we all had a wonderful
time.
Thanks for all your organising, it was appreciated.
I took some family video and uploaded a short snippet to "You Tube"
for our overseas relatives to enjoy.
Just thought you may be interested in this bit of video also.
To
see the festival on youtube - click here
Had I been "working" you probably would have had a nice aerial
view of the event, perhaps next year.Thanks
Roger Sherack - Skycam
Australia
Another wonderful St Albans Folk Festival 2007 has come and gone. Highlights included the delightful crowd that attended my fiddle workshop and the really responsive crowd at our Full Circle concert at the Fickle Wombat restaurant. This is a really friendly folk festival - small enough to meet old and new friends, and big enough to hear some great musicians.
The setting is delightful - nestled in a gorge not far from Wisemans Ferry in NSW (about an hour from Newcastle) and the morning mist makes the place quite magical as the first morning flutes and fiddles announce the new day.
......................Anyhow,
congratulations to Alison Boyd and all the organisers for a great festival
- hope to see you all there next year! Just
thought I'd let you know what a great festival you have!
Jerry
Everard (Full Circle) -
this is an excerpt from Jerry' blog you can read the whole article and
see the pics at http://lostbiro.com/blog/?p=719
Thanks
for doing such a sterling job with the snalbans fest. We all had such
a good time and the music was fabo. Everyone who volunteered their services
were fantastic. Its such a good fest. Almost like meeting up with family
when we go.
Tony
Pyrzacowski (Wheeze & Suck Band & Mothers of Intention)
Once again I'm blown away by another fantastic fest - and I don't know
why but Snalbans just has this amazing unique 'feel'.
Maureen O'Brien
Just
a quick note to say thank you to you & your Committee for all the
hard work you guys put in to organising last weekends events.
I had a ball.
Graeme
Johnson
really
enjoyed St Albans best ever regards
"H" and Jane
Hi John,
Alison & Slaves. Big thanks for a top weekend – well done.
Graham Black
If anyone has any other reviews please contact:
Alison
Boyd
its a zero!
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